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Bioenergy potential of Eichhornia crassipes assessed via thermodynamics and kinetics analyses.

Author
Abstract
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Eichhornia crassipes is an aquatic plant well known for its role in soil reclamation due to the containment of valuable nutrients. Moreover, its biomass is an abundant and low-cost biological resource. While pyrolysis of a biomass offers one of the cleanest methods to harness the bioenergy stored in the biomass. The present study was focused on evaluating the bioenergy potential of Eichhornia crassipes via pyrolysis. Biomass of E. crassipes was collected from a municipal wastewater pond. Oven dried powdered biomass of E. crassipes was subjected to pyrolysis at three heating rates including 10, 30 and 50 Kmin-1 in a simultaneous Thermogravimetry-Differential Scanning Calorimetry analyzer under an inert environment containing nitrogen. Data obtained were subjected to isoconversional models of Kissenger-Akahira-Sunose (KSA) and Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO) to understand the reaction chemistry. Activation parameters have shown that the pyrolysis followed first-order reaction kinetics. The average values of activation energies (129.71-133.03 kJ mol-1) and thermodynamic parameters of activation including high heating values (18.12 MJ kg-1), Gibb's free energies (171-180 kJ mol-1) and enthalpy of reaction (124-127 kJ mol-1) have shown the remarkable bioenergy potential of this biomass. This low-cost biomass may be used to produce liquids, gasses, and biochar in a cost-efficient and environmentally friendly way in future.

Year of Publication
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2018
Journal
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Protein and peptide letters
Date Published
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2018
ISSN Number
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0929-8665
DOI
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10.2174/0929866525666180122104237
Short Title
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Protein Pept Lett
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